JOHANNESBURG — South African politician Herman Mashaba has criticised tertiary institutions for favouring foreign academics instead of local graduates, saying this practice worsens youth unemployment and disregards immigration laws.
Mashaba, leader of the ActionSA party, described the hiring of foreign academics as a “reckless disregard for immigration controls” that harms South Africans already facing high unemployment. He responded to remarks by Deputy Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela, who appeared to support the ongoing recruitment of foreign academics in universities and TVET colleges.
As former mayor of Johannesburg, Mashaba took a strong stance against undocumented immigration but welcomed those legally in the country. He said uncontrolled immigration creates unfair competition in job markets and access to services between South Africans and foreign nationals. 
South Africa’s youth unemployment remains among the highest globally, with millions of young graduates struggling to find work. Mashaba insists universities should prioritise employing South African academics to give local professionals opportunities to contribute their skills.
Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the hiring of foreign academics—especially from other African countries—has increased as institutions aimed to meet affirmative action and employment equity targets. This trend continued even after former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande launched programmes to train and promote local black academics.
The issue sparked controversy during a recent parliamentary committee meeting on higher education. Ashley Sauls from the Patriotic Alliance challenged the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein over their appointment of a foreign dean, despite a local candidate holding a PhD and stronger qualifications.
